Astle smashes into record books

On 16 March 2002, during the final day of the first Test match between New Zealand and England at Auckland, Nathan Astle smashed the fastest double century in Test cricket off just 153 balls in 217 minutes. Curiously enough, his second hundred (from 101 to 200) came off just 39 balls in 69 minutes, which is also a world record.

Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist who completed his double century off 212 balls against South Africa at Johannesburg on 23 February 2002 held the previous record. His double century in terms of minutes (217 minutes), however, ranks second to Don Bradman's 214 minutes double ton against England at Leeds in 1930, when he had scored 334 off 446 balls in 378 minutes with the help of 46 fours.

Astle, by hitting 11 sixes also set a new record of most sixes in an innings for New Zealand. Chris Cairns had previously hit nine sixes during his 120-run knock against Zimbabwe at the same ground in 1995-96. The all-time record is still held by Pakistan's Wasim Akram who cracked 12 sixes during his unbeaten 257-run knock against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura in 1996.